How did 80s ride when new and stock? (4 Viewers)

[napir]

I've had my 80 for a long time and I have never been happy with the ride, especially considering they were marketed as a luxury item way back when new. Maybe I'm just getting old but I'm kinda sick of getting my ass kicked by every single expansion joint or speed bump or manhole cover, especially at low speed. What is the combo that can actually absorb and insulate me (and the wife...it's really just the wife who hates it) from all this, while still being able to absorb a hit at higher speed? Right now I've got Dobinsons variable lift springs (2.5" front/1.5" comfort rear), new Tokico shocks (temp, hoping for a real solution), new suspension bushings all around, E-rated 315 KO2s at 32psi. Over the years, I've had full OME suspension, then these Dobinsons with 30/70 valved Fox 2.0s (since blown), and now Dobs with Tokicos...all chasing a good balance of on and off road and never finding it.

I've ridden in Jeepspeed-prepped Cherokees years ago that rode like butter, so I'm not convinced its just because it's a solid axle. I've been in Wranglers that, once you get past them seeming to just want to fall apart, at least seem relatively civil enough around town.

I have a feeling it's because I keep my 80 pretty light and seemingly everything is for loaded up rigs. My 80 is back on DD duty for a while, but still used extensively for camping and off road touring. It gets used a lot, I just don't bring a whole lot of stuff with me and have no armor/winches/roof racks/fridges/toilets/kitchen sinks/3 months of food/etc. My 80 does ride better when it's more loaded but I have no interest in carrying all that all the time and there's gotta be a better way.

I really don't want to get rid of my 80, but I have been looking at 200s casually...I'm just not ready to give up yet. The only thing I haven't really addressed is body mounts, and still may, but I'm also wondering if I'm chasing something that never existed in the first place?

 

[ProjectTrinity]

I had OME heavies and just swapped to Dobinsons 3.5 variable springs with IMS shocks and it rides smother than our 2023 Tesla Model X. The E rated 315 KO2 I'm running feels kinda harsh but overall not bad. But Teslas aren't known for ride quality and I haven't really been in other LCs other than 100 series.

 

[Mandrake]

If you like how it rides when loaded but don't want to carry all that stuff with you all the time, get springs with lighter rates. I wheel light and the stock springs + spacers and some Gabriel shocks ride superbly on the road and off, flex great, and are still stable even without the sway bars. As for "absorbing a hit at higher speed," I think that's subjective; a hard hit to me may not be a hard hit to you.

 

[LXDOC]

I recently tried new Toyota/Tokico shocks for the 97.
They were harsh and a big disappointment. I took them off after 20 miles.
I currently run 315/75/16 Hankook tires, Dobinsons 2 inch lift “comfort” springs with spacers and a Whiteline HD front bar.
Currently running an adjustable hydraulic foam cell shock from Australia with stock shock bushings. The ride is less choppy than our GX460 with stock suspension.

 

[jonheld]

I drove my 1991 FJ80 off the dealer's lot in June of 1991, and it drove like a dream.
It was quiet and comfortable with a smooth ride.

You have to remember that every single part was brand new. Shocks, springs, bushings, etc. were not 30 years old, or have not been replaced with aftermarket parts. The stock tires were load range C Michelin LTX radial street tires that were soft as a baby.
All of these "modifications" that we love to spend money on affect the ride quality.

 

[Malleus]

I miss the LTXs

 

[White Stripe]

I have stock coils and toyota shocks. It rides great.

 

[napir]

If you like how it rides when loaded but don't want to carry all that stuff with you all the time, get springs with lighter rates.

Yeah I would, but other than stock, these don’t seem to exist, and I think ~1.5” lift all around is the sweet spot for travel and tire clearance. I thought the dual rate coils would be good for me, but alas…

I drove my 1991 FJ80 off the dealer's lot in June of 1991, and it drove like a dream.
It was quiet and comfortable with a smooth ride.

You have to remember that every single part was brand new. Shocks, springs, bushings, etc. were not 30 years old, or have not been replaced with aftermarket parts. The stock tires were load range C Michelin LTX radial street tires that were soft as a baby.
All of these "modifications" that we love to spend money on affect the ride quality.

I know the E range tires aren’t helping, but C range is so limited in anything above a 33”. I’m not necessarily opposed to sizing down when these wear out, but I’m just trying to cross my Ts and make sure I’m not missing anything.

 

[woody]

Our 100% stock 40th rides and handles great. Still on Michelins.

Tire pressure may be the quickest way to make a ride change, and it's free. Factory pressure numbers are designed for the factory tire, and are set to balance ride/control/handling/etc.

If each tire is rated for 3500# of load at 60psi, then 4 tires at max pressure can handle 14,000#. Your 7000# rig would only need half that pressure to be within range of the tire ratings. I'll guess a chalk test of your tire contact patch shows you are riding in the center due to high pressure.

Even a # or 2 may make a noticeable difference. I always adjust pressure based on load/terrain/etc.

 

[jpoole]

My '97 has:

• Stock springs with 30mm dobinson spring spacers
• Tokico / stock shocks
• 285/75/16 Michellin LTX around 35 psi
• ALL suspension bushings / rubber replaced in recent years
• Added a few degress of caster to increase front-end tracking stability
• Steering box that is tight with minimal/no play at wheel
• Weight that is usually close to stock, usually with a clean/empty roof

This 80 drives great in all conditions that I use it in (mostly pavement, occasional gravel, rarely off-road) and is very comfortable and sure-footed. I've replaced a number of door seals, added sound deadening, etc. so it's relatively quiet inside, AC was fully refreshed a few years ago, sound system updated and cup holders added so it's a very comfortable vehicle and my family prefers to take it on trips and we aren't worn out by time spent in it. If I moved it back to stock tire size and took the 1" spacers out it would drive even better but I like it on 33s so will stay on that tire size.

The larger lift/tire size setups look cool and add off-road capabilities but I've come to prefer the aesthetics of closer-to-stock height and tires, in part because of how well they perform for my typical use.

You should try tuning your tire pressure and also see if you could test drive a close-to-stock 80 to get a sense for what's possible before you make any rash decisions

 

[Devils Paw 80]

My '97 LX 450 has stock springs with KYB shocks plus 265/75/16 tires and it rides great IMO. No complaints here.

 

[bski90]

All comes down to how you're connected to the road. Stiff sidewall tires + stiff springs + stiff shocks = stiff ride, very simple. C rated tires, stock or slightly stiffer springs, on OEM or soft shocks will give you the ride you're looking for. I'm on C rated tires, OEM Tokico with OME 861/862 springs and the ride is pretty good unloaded.

 

[napir]

Yeah I’m already at 32 psi all around, and that’s after years of futzing with it. Everything else on the truck is well sorted; great steering, brakes, A/C and heat, stereo, sound deadened, etc. I think all that’s left in my case are body mounts and custom valved shocks with the right springs (these are “comfort”, not sure what else I can try). There’s no real reason I can figure why it shouldn’t ride better with the right combo.

 

[alia176]

Sounds like shocks is your only answer, but which one since everyone has a different taste. If it were me, I'd find a local (including DEN) 4x4 shop that carries bougie shocks and can do a custom valve stack for you. Basically, go there and get bent over on the first day, after they sell you a set of shocks with the "correct" valving for your vehicle. You may have to buy them in advance before they do any of this work for you. If you don't like it, then return for another valve reconfig, for a small fee of course, until you get it dialed in.

Or, learn to valve shocks yourself, which is rather easy, I think but it's witchcraftery $hit to me. I used to play this game when I had Bilstein 7100 resi shocks so I still have the setup but moved away from bougie shocks a long time ago.

The expansion joint harshness is a big clue and your solid axle is contributing but not the ONLY issue. I don't feel expansion joints other than a muted sound but I'm also a 7500# phat pig. Everything is like butter on the pavement with E rated 315s, but once that body starts wallowing off the road, it does annoy me a bit.

Good luck with this rabbit hole.

 

[TXMeatball]

I had OME heavies and just swapped to Dobinsons 3.5 variable springs with IMS shocks and it rides smother than our 2023 Tesla Model X. The E rated 315 KO2 I'm running feels kinda harsh but overall not bad. But Teslas aren't known for ride quality and I haven't really been in other LCs other than 100 series.

I just did this exact thing. First swapped the Js for 3.5VTs, with the older nitrochargers still on. Zero palpable difference between the two. I'm heavy (ARB bumper w/ winch/driving lights, sliders, higgys rear bumper) but maybe not super duper heavy (interior is completely stock/empty with 3rd row deleted). I'm pretty sensitive to dampening differences but I legitimately could not feel a difference between the two. I was able to toss the 20mm spacer I had for the fronts though. 2 weeks later I swapped the nitrochargers for IMS. Definitely softer, but sure as hell not worth the cost. Maybe like 30% better than the nitrochargers? Should have gone with the MRA so I could have played with it, I'd be happier if they were softer.

 

[Marco Lau]

Dobinson IMS 2.5 + Slinky HD coils = smooth rides on highway, and even better on rocks.

 

[Mr. Lawrence]

Tires 275 /70R16 / 114S
Michelin Defender LTX m/s 34psi
Shocks and springs - Stock Toyota
No sliders, no trailer hitch, no lift.
Bone stock 1994 122k miles
Rides exactly as it did when I picked it up at the dealership in July 1994. Firm but composed with zero rattles

 

[Mandrake]

Yeah I would, but other than stock, these don’t seem to exist, and I think ~1.5” lift all around is the sweet spot for travel and tire clearance. I thought the dual rate coils would be good for me, but alas…

Dobinson and OME both make stock heigh springs that are within 10- 20 lbs. of the factory spring rates. And unless you also have shocks with longer travel, all you're doing is moving the static resting height down in the travel range. Bad thing about that is that down travel is more important than up travel. This really could get off in the weeds with all the different variables that come with suspension tuning, though.

 

[jonheld]

Yeah I’m already at 32 psi all around,

If you're running E rated tires at 32 psi with no weight in the truck, you're rolling on concrete, not rubber.
I daily drive my LX450 on 315/75R16 E load Toyos between 26 and 28. If I'm loaded and pulling a trailer, I'll run 33 to 35 max.